Perilymphatic fistula--the value of diagnostic tests.

Perilymphatic fistula (PLF) remains one of the most challenging problems in otological practice. Fifty-two consecutive patients (53 ears) who underwent explorative tympanotomy for suspected PLF between 1985–1992 were included in this study. The clinical picture, history, patients' complaints and laboratory tests were analysed and compared with the operative findings. The conclusions of our work are that the diagnosis of PLF is based mostly on the clinical picture and a battery of laboratory diagnostic tests, but no one test is truly diagnostic for PLF.